Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has received "a bit of a kicking".

AFL

Eddie Mcguire faces ‘confronting’ Goodes reality

19th Jul 2019 9:25 AM

THE documentary on Adam Goodes has captured the nation's attention and thrust the conversation of racism into the spotlight.

The Final Quarter aired on Channel 10 on Thursday night, showing footage of several prominent media personalities making comments about the two-time Brownlow medallist.

Its airing led to an outpouring of emotion and support for the former Sydney Swans star who walked away from the game in 2015.

One big-name personality who features in the documentary is Collingwood president and media veteran Eddie McGuire.

McGuire came under heavy criticism for an on-air gaffe in 2013 when he suggested Goodes be used to promote the King Kong musical.

McGuire addressed the film on his breakfast radio show on Friday morning, saying it gave him "a bit of a kicking".

Adam Goodes’ stunning career came to a sad ending.

"It's very confronting and it's heartbreaking to be involved in it in a negative way," he said on Triple M's The Hot Breakfast.

"I encourage people to watch this documentary. What you have to do in these situations is you have to front up to things. It's an eye-opener. And if that's the bottom line, it's been a worthwhile exercise."

The film quickly became a trending subject in Australia overnight. It will be provided to every school and sporting club throughout the country.

McGuire said there were plans for Goodes to conduct a Q&A session at his son's school.

"I hope it gives us an opportunity to, if it's applicable to Adam, to get Adam back into the game," he said.

"I really want to open up and talk about things and be open to a solution. We want people to understand … and look after indigenous footballers."

On the same day the film premiered at the Sydney Film Festival, the AFL issued an "unreserved apology" to Goodes over its inaction.

"The treatment of Adam challenges us, and our right to be considered Australia's indigenous football code. Adam, who represents so much that is good and unique about our game, was subject to treatment that drove him from football. The game did not do enough to stand with him and call it out," the statement read.

"We apologise unreservedly for our failures during this period."

Adam Goodes shows some emotion during the 2012 grand final.

The Project host Waleed Aly hosted a special edition of the show following the films showing, along with indigenous representatives and guests from the media and sporting world.

He ended the night asking a key question about where to go from here as a nation.

"It seems that what began as personal torment for Adam quickly became a national controversy," he said.

"The question now really is whether it can become a productive national conversation. And the answer to that question rests with each of us."

Journalist for The Australian Chip Le Grand told the show that one of the most "disturbing" aspects of the documentary was that it highlighted how "a lot of us don't seem to even know racism when we see it".

He also said the AFL's failure to step in and help Goodes was "such a failure of leadership".

"They just needed someone to clearly stand up, and it was Gill McLachlan's time, in that instance, to just say: 'Look, yes, it is complicated but, clearly, race is a part of this, it's a big part of this, it's ugly and it has to stop'," he said.